Shop Talk: Newt Up in Polls and Staff

Former Speaker Newt Gingrich has added new staff to his presidential campaign infrastructure as his poll numbers remain high.

Former Speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.) is working to get his presidential campaign infrastructure caught up to his poll standings and has added a key cog in Florida.

Gingrich hired Jose Mallea as state director, National Journal reported. Mallea served last year as campaign manager for the insurgent campaign of Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.).

Mallea owns JM Global Consulting, according to his online résumé. Before working with Rubio, Mallea served as chief of staff to former Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, as an appointee in the State Department and as an assistant at the White House under President George W. Bush.

Gingrich also nabbed veteran Florida strategist Jamie Miller, the St. Petersburg Times reported. Miller, who has run Miller Strategies in Sarasota for more than 10 years, is a former political director and field director at the state Republican Party and will help lead Gingrich’s Florida efforts, the Times reported.

An NBC-Marist University poll released during the weekend found Gingrich leading in Florida with 44 percent, followed by former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney with 29 percent.

Striking Out on Her Own

California Republican consultant Beth Miller announced last week that she is forming her own public affairs firm in Sacramento.

Miller had served as a partner at Wilson-Miller Communications with veteran Republican strategist Marty Wilson, who joined the California Chamber of Commerce in October as vice president of public affairs.

Miller’s new venture “is the next iteration of the strategic consulting practice she began nearly eight years ago as a founder of Wilson-­Miller Communications and builds on its solid foundation of providing effective communications, issue management, media relations and innovative public affairs solutions to a growing list of clients,” the firm stated in a press release. It officially launches New Year’s Day.

Miller will serve as president and CEO, and she’s bringing with her a handful of people from Wilson-Miller. Nick Garcia will continue as managing director, and Brooke Armour and Jessica Ng, who served as deputy communications director for Senate candidate Carly Fiorina, will serve as directors for the new firm.

“We will continue our client-focused approach of providing valuable [public] affairs, crisis communications and media-­relations solutions on a variety of local, state and national issues,” Miller said in a statement.

Soltz Back From Iraq

VoteVets.org Chairman Jon Soltz is transitioning back to his role leading the liberal-leaning group that helps elect veterans to Congress.